Seattle Dizzy Group

October is National Protect Your Hearing Month and National Audiology Awareness Month

Presented by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and the “It’s a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing.”® campaign, along with the American Academy of Audiology (AAA).

Approximately 26 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 have hearing loss caused by exposure to loud noises. As many as 16 percent of teens (ages 12 to 19) have reported some hearing loss that could have been caused by loud noise, according to a  2010 report based on a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and can increase over time, but it is preventable if you take a few easy steps to protect your hearing:

• Lower the volume. Set the volume on electronic devices to a level that allows you to still hear what’s going on around you.
• Move away from the noise. Put some distance between you and the noise source to reduce the impact on your ears.
• Wear hearing protectors, such as earmuffs or earplugs, if you can’t leave a noisy place.

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/news/releases/14/Pages/10162014.aspx?utm_source=National&utm_medium=News&utm_content=10.16.14&utm_campaign=NIDCD

“Ear Plugs: Your Guide to Finding the Best Fit for Your Ears, Wallet“

Tinnitus

According to the American Tinnitus Association, for many people tinnitus is a symptom of hearing loss, which is often induced by exposure to loud noise.

“It’s A Noisy World We Live In: How Loud is Too Loud?”

Image from: http://www.audiologysystems.com

The Power Beyond Hearing

Our ears can distinguish up to 400,000 different sounds and process twice as many impressions as our eyes! Our hearing is used 24 hours a day, is the key to communication, and hence, to social interaction. The ear is man’s most efficient but also most sensitive sensory organ. However, its importance in our modern, visually-oriented world is often underestimated.

The Hear the World Foundation created their “The Power Beyond Hearing” infographic to raise awareness about the importance and efficiency of our hearing, the influence our hearing has on various aspects of our lives, and how we can protect it.

 http://www.hear-the-world.com/en/about-us/campaigns-events/the-power-beyond-hearing/the-power-beyond-hearing.html

Hearing Restoration Project

Many types of hearing loss result from damage to the delicate hair cells of the inner ear. Humans can’t regrow these cells, but scientists have discovered that birds amazingly can. The Hearing Restoration Project of the Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) is aiming to apply this discovery to cure hearing loss and tinnitus in humans.